Mole-trap



(No Model.) JI WELCH.

MOLE TRAP. No. 371,649. Patented Oct. 1 8, 188'7.

Wl TJV'ESSES .dttorneya N PETERS4 PholD-Llihogruphen Washmglcn. D, C.

UNITE artnr rricn.

JOHN MILZE VELCH, OF ANNAPOLIS, INDIANA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 371,649, dated October 18, 1887.

.To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, JOHN MILZE WELCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Annapolis, in the county of Parke and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Moleflraps, of which the i`ol lowing is a specification.

My invention relates to a moletrap; and it consists in a certain novel construction and combination of parts, hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l is a perspective view of the trap. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section. Fig. 3 is a simiA lar view with the trap sprung.

Referring by letter to the drawings, A designates the body of the trap, having the sharpened feet a a on the bottom, the curved recesses B B formed in the lower edges ot' the sides, and the roller C jourualed in the upper end, for a purpose hereinafter explained.

D designates a sliding frame vertically movable in the body A, to the lower edge ot' which are attached the sharpened wires or pins E, while the cross-piece at the upper end is pro videdwith an aperture, d.

G designates a weight movable vertically in the frame D, to the upper side of which is attached a cord, H, which cord passes up through the aperture d, over the roller C, and is attached at the lower end to a short har, l, thc use of which is hereinafter described.

K designates a trigger pivotcd in a slot,K, in the face of the trap, the inner end of which trigger is beveled to rest fiat on the surface ot' the ground when the trap is set, and the upper end of the said trigger is provided with the notches l Z.

The bar I is adapted to engage at one end it the sliding frame, up to the uppercnd of the body by means of the cord H; elevate the outer end of the trigger, and engage the bar I in one ofthe notches therein and one of the notches m in thenface of the trap. It will be seen that the lower ends of the pins E are on the level withthe surface of the ground and the beveled end of the triggeris resting on the surface of the ground directly over the run of the mole. Vhen the mole passes along the run, the ground over him will be slightly raised, and as he passes under the end ofthe trigger it will be raised, release the bar Land allow the weight to fall. The weight, as has been stated, is at the upper end of the frame D, and when it is released it drops, strikes with force against the lower crosspiece ol the same, and drives the pins E into the ground, thereby ixnpaling the mole.

rPhe action ot' this trap is very direet,as will be seen, and the pins are driven into the ground almost at the same instant that the trigger is raised by the mole, thus rendering the capture of the said animal certain.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is-

The combination, with the body resting on the ground and having the slot K in its lower side and the notches m above said slot, ofthe trigger pivoted in saidA slot and provided with notches Z in its upper end, its lower end resting on the ground, the sliding frame working in the body and carrying the impalement-pins, the weight G,niovable vertically in thc sliding frame and acting on the lower crossbar of the saine, the cord attached to said weight and passing over a. roller in the upper end of the body, and the bar I, secured to the free end of said cord and having its opposite ends normally engaging the uotchesm in the body and the notches l in the trigger, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own VI have hereto affixed my signature. in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN BIILZE \VELCI'I.

Vitnesses: i

HENRY C. LAMB, PAUL M. VnsrAL. 

